The Introvert’s 100-Day Plan to Building Your Local Business Community

Being a creative solopreneur, whether you’re a photographer, a web designer, or a copywriter, is an absolute dream. You get to set your own hours, choose your clients, and do work you actually love. But building a business from behind a screen all day?

It can get incredibly lonely.

You transitioned from a bustling corporate office (or college dorm room) to your kitchen table, and suddenly, your only coworker is your dog. You realize that while you love your work, your friends and family might not fully get the entrepreneurial rollercoaster you're on. You crave connection, but the thought of walking into a sterile networking event and handing out business cards makes you want to hide under the covers.

Enter Kelci Borges. Kelci is the powerhouse behind @wearesherose agency and @theboisebreakfastclub. But her journey to becoming a community-building queen wasn’t overnight. Back in 2022, she was running a multi-six-figure social media management agency with almost 20 clients. As social media got more complex with reels and carousels, she found herself exhausted, acting more like a project manager "herding cats" than a creative.

When she looked back at her year, she realized the thing that brought her the most joy was being in person, connecting with people, and teaching. So, despite being new to the Boise area and terrified because she didn't know anyone, she took a massive leap. Today? The Boise Breakfast Club has over 700 local members.

If you're ready to make local business friends but have no idea where to start (or the idea simply terrifies you), this post is for you. We are breaking down Kelci’s exact framework into an actionable, introvert-friendly plan.

Listen to the full interview with Kelci on The Sustainable Creator podcast here:

The 100-Day Community Building Plan

If you’re onboarding onto something new, you need a plan to give yourself the highest chance of success. Think of this as your first 100 days of stepping out of your solopreneur silo.

Phase 1: Research Your Rooms (Days 1–30)

You can’t build a community if you don't know where the people are! Your first milestone is simply doing research on the rooms that are available to you.

Search everything: Literally just Google the type of community you are looking for. Search TikTok, search Instagram, use local hashtags, and see what events are happening in your area. The people hosting these events are definitely posting about them.
Embrace the duds: You are probably going to go to some events, realize they are a little too "foofy," and feel like you just wasted two hours of your day. That is totally okay. Just like in sales, every horrible networking experience is one step closer to finding the community you are meant to be a part of.
Set a goal: Decide how many events you want to attend in a month and let your calendar reflect that priority.

Phase 2: Become a Familiar Face (Days 31–60)

It is not enough to just go to an event one time and expect to meet mind-blowing people. You have to show up consistently to foster those relationships over a period of time.

Get the lay of the land: When you first start showing up, it is okay if you don't put yourself out there immediately. You want to get comfortable and know that it's a safe place.
Provide value in small groups: After you've gone once or twice, start making yourself known. Even if it's your first time, you can still provide value in one-to-one or small group conversations and show what you have to offer. Don't shy away from using your voice.

Phase 3: Go Deep (Days 61–100)

This is where the magic happens. Your goal isn't to be the loudest person in the room; it’s to build genuine relationships.

Stop trying to meet everyone: Even in big rooms, trying to meet everybody means you will lose track of people and fail to create deep relationships.
Find your people: Focus on finding a couple of people you genuinely want to become friends with and go after them.
Take it outside the room: Invite the people you've been kindling a friendship with out to lunch, for a coffee, or to a Zoom chat. Setting up at least one coffee meeting a week is a low-lift way to build your network.

Build Your "Networking First Aid Kit"

For the introverts in the back, walking into a room full of strangers can induce pure panic. You need what Kelci brilliantly calls a "networking first aid kit". Have your questions and icebreakers planned out in your head so you know exactly what to do when you walk in.

1. Ditch the "What do you do?" question

Asking someone what they do for a living is just boring. Instead, have a bank of quirky questions in your back pocket. When you get to know the human behind the business, the relationship goes much further.

Try asking: "What's something that you're working on that's really exciting right now?".

2. Connect over feelings, not facts

People talk about facts, but people connect over feelings. If you only ask what someone does, the conversation ends at "I'm a copywriter". But if you ask about an emotion, like "What's your favorite part of your work?", you tap into how they are experiencing what they do. Connecting on emotions lets you go deeper.

3. Bring a physical conversation starter

Give people an easy reason to talk to you! If you wear or bring something that shows off your personality, it naturally kicks off conversations.

Carry a fun tote bag, Jo likes to take one that says "Books are my happy place".
Bring a water bottle from your college alma mater to spark a "wait a second, we used to live over there" moment.

4. The "Polite Snoop" Strategy

How do you close the massive chasm from standing alone at a table with your plate of cheese squares to actually talking to someone? Be delightfully nosy.

Walk up to the person and say, "I am so sorry if this is intrusive, but I'm pretty nosy and I just overheard you saying this thing and I have to know more".
Don't hide your excitement! People love it when you are genuinely excited to ask them questions and have a conversation. Remember, the default state of people at a networking event is that they are there to meet people.

The Online-to-Offline Playbook (For the Extra Shy)

If showing up to a large in-person event still feels way too intimidating, you can start your community building from the comfort of your couch.

Scout the vibes: Look at the people who are engaging on the local community's pages; the ones leaving comments, liking posts, and showing up in stories. You can learn a lot about the community just by seeing what their vibe is all about online.
Warm up the DMs: Start engaging with these people and supporting them online. Ask them those first-aid kit questions to stir up natural conversation and see if the energy is reciprocated.
Make the transition: If you are having meaningful conversations in the DMs, shoot them a message saying, "Hey, I really enjoyed our conversations. I've been watching you from afar for a while and I would just love to get on a call and connect with you further".
Remember: We all have a bit of a sour taste in our mouths about cold reach outs, so lead with value. And if they say no, it isn't the end of the world.

The ROI of Showing Up

As business owners, we have to measure if an activity is a good investment of our time. So, what is the return on investment (ROI) for leaving your house and drinking mediocre coffee with strangers?

Kelci takes a very broad approach to the ROI on networking. Relationships are the foundation of your business. Even if an event feels like a bust, you probably met a few people. You never know when you might need an exterminator, someone to do SEO on your website, or when someone you met a year ago turns into the exact connection you need today.

At the end of the day, the ROI comes down to three things:

Are you building your community with really cool, valuable people you want to be around?.
Are you getting clients?.
Are you growing your visibility? (Because if people become fans of you in real life, they are probably going to support you on social media, too!).

Ready to Find Your People?

Stepping out of your comfort zone is hard. Unlearning the idea that every interaction has to be a transactional "equal trade" takes time. But giving yourself permission to reach out to someone simply because you want a "business friend" is enough of a reason.

We know how vital it is to have people in your corner who understand your big goals, your daily struggles, and your creative vision.

If you are looking for a community right now, we’ve built a space just for you. Would you like to stop doing business alone and get plugged into an ecosystem designed to support you? Come join us inside The Breakroom, our membership specifically for creative service providers. We are fiercely protective of our culture, and we would love to have you join the conversation.

Take a deep breath, pack your Emily Henry tote bag, and go make some friends. You've got this!